Do you really know?

Covid-19 restrictions changed work practices radically; a large proportion of the workforce have worked remotely for nearly three years now. That’s the case even in post-pandemic working structures, with many sectors favouring a hybrid model rather than a full-time return to the office. We now have a generation of workers who often have never met their colleagues in person. But still the fear pers...

It’s been just over three years since Brexit came into effect and the latest YouGov poll from late February 2023 suggests that 53% of Brits now think it was wrong for the UK to leave the EU. The infamous 2016 Brexit referendum exposed deep divisions within British society, which have only deepened since. Three prime ministers have come and gone since, and current PM Rishi Sunak is facing an unprec...

Have you ever felt anxious about going to see the doctor? Maybe the thought of a needle or having a tooth pulled makes you tense. Well that's pretty common but for some people, the fear of medical appointments goes much deeper and it can lead to what's become known as FOFO.  The colloquial abbreviation stands for a Fear Of Finding Out, and it’s usually used in relation to a person's fear of discov...

Those are no doubt familiar instructions if you’ve ever taken a plane. Today's topic is one that has been a part of our digital lives for quite some time: Flight Mode. Have you ever wondered why this feature exists on our devices, and what purpose it serves beyond just flying on airplanes?  The main function of Flight Mode is to disable your device's cellular radio. This includes the mobile networ...

The average British household usually puts on their central heating by October 24, according to British Gas. But this year, thanks to soaring energy costs, and a mild winter it may well be later. Turning down your heating can have real savings. The Energy Saving Trust calculates that turning your thermostat down from 20c to 19c should cut your energy bill by around 10 per cent. But as well as savi...

“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer”, the saying goes. And there’s actually a name for that phenomenon: the Matthew Effect. The term was first coined by sociologists Robert K. Merton and Harriet Zuckerman in 1968, in relation to how “already eminent scientists were given disproportionate credit in cases of collaboration or of independent multiple discoveries.” In other words, if a group o...

In September 2023, UK consumer watchdog Which published research showing just how much cheaper budget brands can be. One striking example was the price of rice at Asda. Shoppers could get 1kg of Asda Just Essentials rice for 52 pence, while the store’s standard own-brand Easy Cook Long Grain White Rice was £1.80 for the same quantity. That’s 246% more. Similar cases were found at supermarkets like...

With the warmer weather that summer brings, it’s especially important to be aware of the best techniques for freezing food before it goes bad. This ensures food safety and minimises waste. Furthermore, proper freezing techniques help preserve the taste, texture, and nutritional value of the food. You might think it’s as simple as bunging something in the freezer and leaving it there for as long as...

£2.99 for biscuits, £6.99 for moisturiser, £49.99 for a mixer. In shops, one small detail stands out: price tags overwhelmingly end in 99. It’s eye-catching, though not exactly convenient for anyone trying to track their spending. Is it really so common? Is that a recent invention? Is that why prices still end in 99? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, c...

In some religions, people believe in reincarnation or an afterlife, but in medicine, life is generally considered to end when the heart stops beating. Recently though, researchers have challenged that view.  In November 2024, American biologists Peter A Noble and Alex Pozhitkov published groundbreaking findings in The Conversation under the title “Biobots arise from the cells of dead organisms − p...

You’ve most likely heard of this plant before, and seen one if you were lucky! Maybe you’ve even tried to find one in a field or a garden. The four leaf clover is without doubt one of the most popular and fascinating symbols of luck. A four leaf clover is a clover plant that has four leaves instead of the usual three. A clover plant is a type of herb that belongs to the pea family. It has small fl...

All week long, we’re looking into 10 new terms and concepts that are certain to be on everyone’s lips in 2023! Flying vehicles have long been imagined as part of the not-too-distant future, as well as a making regular appearances in TV and film works of fiction. Just think of the Jetsons or Harry Potter for example. And the attraction is understandable. Imagine you could avoid all road congestion...

Calimero is a black chick with a half-broken eggshell on his head. He’s always complaining about something or other, with “But it’s an injustice” being his favourite line. A more recent animated version of the cartoon appeared on Disney Junior in the UK in the 2010s. Maybe you can think of someone you know in real life who’s an eternal complainer. Is there any chance other people might think that...

Whether it’s in the street, on public transport or at home, almost all of us use headphones or earphones to listen to music. Now music might bring us joy and a whole lot of other emotions, but when it’s too loud, it can also represent a risk for hearing health.  The same is also true when going to entertainment venues like nightclubs, bars, music concert arenas and sports stadia. The danger comes...

Data suggests that around one in six of us will experience depression at some point in our lifetime. And if you’ve had family members who have been affected, you may well have asked yourself whether it could happen to you too, or if there are ways to prevent it.  Now, there is some evidence of a predisposition when depression appears in the family. According to Stanford University: “In most cases...

In January 2023, Prince Harry published his memoirs, in the form of an autobiography entitled "Spare". The book led to a lot of controversy, particularly regarding the relationship between Harry and his brother William, the future King of England. A number of observers have suggested that Prince Harry suffers from second child syndrome. For example, behavioural expert Abdullah Boulad was quoted by...

While it’s not a scientifically recognised food category, the term “superfoods” has become common when referring to certain foods that are very rich in nutrients and micronutrients. You may have heard about the disease-preventing wonders of seeds and algae for example, or weight loss benefits associated with fruits such as goji berries, spirulina, and pomegranates. Let’s investigate whether all th...

The trend of workplace presenteeism has increased in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. A September 2020 report by RAND Europe suggests that presenteeism is mainly driven by stress, suboptimal mental health, lack of sleep and poor financial well-being, which have all intensified during the pandemic. Presenteeism is the practice of being present at one's place of work for more hou...

It’s not news that if you don't get a good nights sleep you will probably not be your best the next day, but while you are snoozing, particularly in deep sleep, your brain is not just powered down, it is busy cleaning out the days toxins, almost like it is ‘washing your brain’ and getting it ready for the next day.   “Sleep is not just a state where things turn off. Sleep is a very active state fo...

In recent years, gluten-free diets have become more and more popular. No doubt you’ve seen “Free From” aisles in your local supermarket, and you can also get gluten-free items in health food shops or online. Some people have no choice but to adopt such a diet, because they have coeliac disease, a lifelong autoimmune condition which causes their body to attack its own tissue when gluten is consumed...

The UK’s Online Safety Bill has been in the pipeline for a number of years now, and is currently being considered by the House of Lords. The proposed bill has caused a lot of controversy due to its broad ambitions and a perceived threat to people’s privacy. But it’s been welcomed in some quarters, and in particular by children’s charities like the NSPCC, who say that it’s needed to tackle grooming...

We all know what it feels like to get pins and needles. It usually happens when we’ve been in the same position for too long, sleeping on one of our arms for example. Bad posture when seated can make this more likely to happen. It’s a slightly uncomfortable feeling of numbness and tingling, as if someone was raking your skin repeatedly with small pointed objects. That’s where the name “pins and ne...

Permafrost is ground that remains frozen for two years or more. It’s made up of soil, rocks and sand, and held together by ice. In some places, this ground layer formed over 100,000 years ago, and can reach several miles in depth. Around 24% of land in the Northern Hemisphere has permafrost underneath it, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. It’s mostly found in Arctic countries,...

Right from primary school age, we tell children that if another boy or girl has teased them, it’s “because they like them”. And playful teasing happens a lot in dating well into adulthood. If it’s ever happened to you, you might have laughed along out of fear of appearing oversensitive. But really it’s a form of verbal abuse, which is often used intentionally to manipulate another person’s emotion...

It’s more common than we tend to admit. Some children grow up with parents who are critical, emotionally distant, or unable to empathize. In that kind of environment, attachment bonds don’t always form smoothly. Children may internalize the idea that they don’t deserve affection and that makes it harder to give it back. Add in repeated abandonment, breakups, violence, or addiction, and some childr...